Two-thousand Brazilian protesters gather for an assembly at Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, on June 23, 2013. By Flickr user MidiaNINJA (CC BY-SA)

What began as demonstrations in Sao Paulo by a group opposed to rising bus fares has become a nationwide protest movement against the government's priorities ahead of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Demonstrations have swept the country with hundreds of thousands joining in what has been dubbed the Vinegar Revolt, ever since protesters used vinegar-soaked cloths to protect themselves from police adamant on dispersing them with teargas on June 13, 2013.

Since last year, many protests were launched against bus fare inflation and inadequate public transportation in the country, but these latest demonstrations have more coordination and strength. With the beginning of the Confederations Cup, an event which comes before the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, protesters are taking to the streets to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with the country's infrastructure and the massive amount of public money spent on mega sport events.

Some fear [pt] that the mass movement risks being hijacked by political parties or the extreme right in the country. Others see nationalistic hints [pt] in the movement and worry that discourages political debate. But the fact remains that Brazilians are piling onto the streets with anger against their government and a deep distrust of the current political system.

The country's heavy-handed preparation for the upcoming World Cup has been a subject of scrutiny even before the Vinegar Revolt protests. Local governments have evicted residents and bulldozed homes, sometimes without warning, to make way for sporting event amenities.